Blade from $9.00 forge

[Mastershake]

I fired up my $9.00 forge today and pounded this out.
It is very rough, I did manage to get a partial hollow ground on it with my hammer and anvil
I had a hard time keeping the steel hot, I think it was because I was being skimpy on the charcoal
because it took me 2 days to make 1 bucket.
I will fire up the ghetto forge again soon to work on the tange and refine the edge.

[monkeypuzzlebeefeater]

Great start, cant wait to see the finished thing

[diyguy]

I have a homemade forge in my garage as well, but I never tried making a razor with it yet. You've given me inspiration. Very cool my friend! Can't wait to see further pictures.

[WillN]

Looking very good, keep on going.

If you are making your own charcoal, I am sure you have a great reason, but you can buy bags of natural charcoal from lot's of different places, even home depot. Hard coal isn't hard to find or expensive either if there is a smith in your area to ask.

You really shouldn't skimp on the fuel in your forge as you want to keep your work in the center of a generous sized heat(fire). Too low towards the tuyer and you are in an oxidizing heat and too high up on top and you are in a reducing heat. Right in the middle of a nice heat will give you the best results without taking anything away from your steel.

Keep on pounding, that is looking good!

Will N.

[Mastershake]

I couldn't wait until tommorrow so I fired up the ghetto forge again tonight.
I started forming the handle or tange (haven't decided yet) and banged out some of the lumps on the blade.

[Mastershake]

Looking very good, keep on going.

If you are making your own charcoal, I am sure you have a great reason, but you can buy bags of natural charcoal from lot's of different places, even home depot. Hard coal isn't hard to find or expensive either if there is a smith in your area to ask.

You really shouldn't skimp on the fuel in your forge as you want to keep your work in the center of a generous sized heat(fire). Too low towards the tuyer and you are in an oxidizing heat and too high up on top and you are in a reducing heat. Right in the middle of a nice heat will give you the best results without taking anything away from your steel.

Keep on pounding, that is looking good!

Will N.

Thanks for the words of encouragement. I don't have access to coal anywhere and I didn't know HD carried real charcoal. I am defanitely heading over the Depot
to save myself some time, thanks for the tips!

[LouG]

They also sell real hardwood charcoal at Sam's club, Menards and several hardware stores in our area. Check around, its sold along side the BBQ charcoal briquets.

[nanewt02]

9.00 forge? how?? and all that with a hammer, NICE

[Mastershake]

$.99 for kitty litter, $4.99 for pottery plaster....oops it wasn't a $9.00 forge but a $5.98 forge.
I also have an anvil to go with the hammer. I learned quick to wear long sleeves too. I got a couple dot burns on my left arm the first go.
I got a stainless steel eye wash basin from the recycling center along with a piece of pipe for the blower (which is an old wet vac).
I mounted the whole thing on an old tablesaw stand.
I will take picks of it tommorrow. (I was calling it the ghetto forge but my wife renamed it the Hillbilly forge because I used the word "cantiwhompass")

[WillN]

Mastershake - If you get close to Atlanta, let me know and I will see if I can spare you a bucket of coal. It will last much longer than charcoal.

Will N.